Timing / priority arrangement

[Chris Corrigan]

In my experience, everything is interrelated; some topics seem more
interrelated than others.  I have done what BJ suggests and let the
participants work it out.  I have encouraged groups to split up into
smaller groups rather than have 40 people in one group, but my
experience has proven this to be futile advice.  The groups will always
do what they need to do.  Often the only person really worried about
group size, or similar topics scheduled for the same time, is the
sponsor.  I have a strategy for dealing with that situation.  When
confronted with the problem I invite the sponsor to sit with me for a
few minutes and watch the group(s)  from a distance.  After a few
minutes of quiet obeservation I ask "What do you think?"

Once the sponsor still wanted to intervene and I asked him to think
about how he would do that.  He thought for a minute, still watching the
group, and finally decided that the WORST thing he could do was to walk
into the middle of the group and suggest they break into smaller
groups.  I didn't offer an opinion one way or another.  It was his
learning.  On later reflection, I realized that either intervening or
not intervening could have been the right thing to do, depending on how
either was handled.  Of course, what happened was the only thing that
could have happened.

Chris
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CHRIS CORRIGAN
108-1035 Pacific Street
Vancouver BC
V6E 4G7

Phone: 604.683.3080
Fax: 604.683-3036